Spear for oil-wells.



W. C. BECKWITH.

SPEAR FOR OIL WELLS.

- APPLIOATION FILED 111111.18, 1907.

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W. o. BEGKWITH.

SPBAR LGR OIL WELLS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1B, 1907. 902,458, Patentedoet-.27,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

afkomt-m WALTER G. BECKWITH, OF FOSTORIA, OHIO.

SPEAR FOR OIL-WE LLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27', 1908.

Application Ied April 18, 1907. Serial No. 368,954.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER C. BEcKwrrI-r, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fostoria, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spears forOil-VVells, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in spears for oil wells.

The object of my invention is to provide a spear of this character whichcan be readily attached to the lower end of the piston valve, wherebythe standing valve may be readily coupled to the piston valve, and thesame removed together at the will of the operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide a spear of this characterwhich can be readily used as a jar for the valve, without coupling thesame together, and therefore the accidental dropping of the piston valvecaused by the upcoupling of the sucker rod will not couple the twovalves together.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a more simple,cheap and effective spear of the character described.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is a vertical sectional view ofan oil well casing showing the piston valve coupled to the standingvalve for removing the same. Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view of thespear coupled to the standing valve. Fig. 3, is a vertical sectionalview of the spear in its set position. Fig. 4:, is an enlarged sectionalview of the locking means. Fig. 5, is a side elevation partly insection, of a modification of the sliding sleeve and its locking means.Fig. 6, is a sectional view of a modified form of locking means. Fig. 7,is asectional view of another modified form o f locking means. Fig. 8,is a sectional view of a still further modified form of locking means.Fig. 9, is an -enlarged side elevation partly in section of the lockingmeans.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents the casing of an oil wellwhich is of any well known structure, as is well understood by thoseskilled in the art. Vithin said casing at the bottom is the standingvalve 2 which is of the usual structure, and a distance thereabove isthe piston valve 3 which is operated up and down through the medium ofthe sucker rod l, and by the ar rangement of the two valves the oil ispumped upwardly through the casing to the top of the well. In devices ofthis character it is well understood that the standing valve isfrictionally held within the casing independent of the piston valve, andin order to remove t-he same in case it gets out of order, it hasheretofore been necessary to withdraw the piston valve, uncouple eachsection of the sucker rod t as it is being removed, and after the pistonvalve has reached the top of the casing the piston valve is removed anda coupling is placed on the sucker rod and it is then replaced withinthe casing and section after section coupled together until the couplingis lowered to the standing valve 2. The standing valve is provided witha screw-threaded opening 5 into which the coupling is screwed, and incoupling the same together it is often a difficult task, as the standingvalve will often turn and thus prevent the coupling of the two together..The threads of the opening in the standing valve also become worn andthe removal of the standing valve sometimes becomes impossible. In suchcases the whole tubing 1 has to be removed, bringing with it thestanding valve.

My invention is designed to be attached to the lower end of the pistonvalve, and so constructed and arranged that it can be used as a jaw toloosen the paraflin from the balls, and at the same time preventing thecoupling of the two valves together.

My device is also constructed and arranged` so that the accidentaldropping of the piston valve upon the standing valve will not couple thesame together, as this often occurs, and it is my object to obviatethese difficulties which are found in devices of the character now inuse.

The lower end of the piston valve 3is provided with a screw-threadedportion upon which is screwed the upper socket member 6 of my improvedspear. The said socket having the downwardly extending hollow portion 7which communicates with the hollow sucker rod 4, as will be hereinaftermore fully described. The lower end of said hollow member is closed at 8and is provided with the downwardly-extending reduced solid portion 9which is adapted to enter the opening 5 in the standing valve. The saidreduced solid portion 9 is provided with an obliquely-arranged annularrecess l0 commencing adjacent its lower end, and extending up wardly.Nithin said recess is a coiled spring 11, and also within the saidopening is a plunger 12 which is normally held in its outward position,one side of said plunger eX- tending considerably beyond the outer faceof the reduced portion 9. Within the lower end of said recess is a screw13, the head of which is engaged by the plunger, whereby the plunger isprevented from passing entirely out of the spear.

In the use of the word spear throughout the specification I mean broadlya means for coupling the pump valve and standing valve together, and notany specific part thereof.

The hollow7 portion T on opposite sides is provided withverticallydisposed slots 14 and 15 having at their lower ends thelaterally-extending slots 16 and 17, all of which forms two-oppositely-arranged bayonet slots. Surrounding the said hollow portion7 is a sleeve 18 which has its lower end contracted at 19 to lit thesolid portion 9', and the sleeve being vertically adjustable thereon. fThe upper end of the sleeve carries a transverse key or bolt whichpasses through the slots 14 and 15, and is vertically-movable therein.Vithin the said sleeve below the solid portion 8 and surrounding thesolid portion 9, is a coiled spring 21 which has its upper end attachedto the solid portion 9, 'as indicated at 22, while the lower end of thespring is connected to the sleeve 18as indicated at 23. The coil spring21 exerts a downward pressure on the sleeve, holding the sleeve in itsextended position, and the spring also exerts or tends to rotate thesleeve and holds the sleeve in a position with the bolt in thelaterally-extending portion of the slot, and therefore prevents theupward movement of the sleeve.

The sleeve at one side is provided with a downwardly-extending arm 24which is fastened thereto by means of screws 25, the purpose of whichwill be hereinafter more fully described.

The piston valve and standing valve being in their relative workingposition, should either valve become clogged with paraiiin, the pistonvalve is lowered upon the upper end of the standing valve and serves asa jar to jar the-paraffin away from the valve. Should either valvebecome disarranged it will be only necessary to drop the piston valveupon the standing valve. The arm 24 enters one of the recesses or cutaway portions 26 of the standing valve, and by a slight oscillatingmovement of the sucker rod to the left, the spear is turned in thesleeve, the sleeve being held against rotation on the standing valve.Vhen the sucker rod has been turned sufficiently to bring the pin 2Oopposite the lower end of the vertical slot, the weight of the suckerrod will force the spear through the opening in the standing valve, andafter the same has passed therein the spring-pressed plunger is forcedoutwardly. The upward movement of the sucker rod causes the spear torise in the opening in the standing valve y with the two bayonet slots28, whereby the sleeve and spear are locked together in the same manneras that shown in the other figures.

In Fig. G, instead of having the form of lock heretofore described, thelower end of the spear 9 is provided with a cut-away portion 428 whichis provided with a recess 29 in which is mounted a coil spring 30, andpivoted within said cut-away portion is a member 31, the upper end ofwhich is engaged by the spring, and normally held in the outwardposition. The lower end of said pivoted member is provided with alaterally-extending portion 32 which engages the lower end of the spear,and limits the movement of the pivoted member. This allows the spear toreadily pass through the opening in the standing valve, but prevents itswithdrawal from the opening.

Fig. 7 shows balls 33 working on the same principle as the plunger 12.

Fig. 8 shows the lower end of the spear 9 cut away as shown at 34, andpivoted therein is the member 35 which is normally held in a verticalposition by the sleeve 18, and is f forced in as shown in said figure,by the engagement thereof with the ball valve.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a device embodying my invention, in which thesleeve 18 is omitted, and in such a form the two valves are coupledtogether simply by the lowering of the piston valve on the standingvalve.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpvalve working above the standing valve, a spear carried by the lower endof the pump valve, a sleeve slidably surrounding said spear, means forstanding valve therein, a piston valve working above thestanding valve,a spear carried by the lower end of the piston valve, and an 'obliquelyarranged spring-pressed member within the lower end of the spear forlocking the same to the standing valve.

4l. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, apiston valve within the casing above the standing valve, a spear carriedby the lower end of said piston valve, an obliquely arranged springlpressed member within the lower end of the spear for locking the same tothe standing valve, a sleeve surrounding the spear and slidable thereon,and means for normally holding said sleeve in its downward positioninclosing the springepressed member.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a spear, a downwardlyand outwardly spring-pressed member therein, a sleeve slidablysurrounding the springpressed member, and means for locking said sleevein its downward position,

G. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, apiston valve above the standing valve, a spear carried by the lower endof the piston valve, a downwardly and outwardly spring-pressed membertherein and extending through the side of thc spear, a sleeve slidablymounted upon the spear, a spring for normally holding the sleeve in itsdownward position surrounding the spring-pressed member, means forlocking the sleeve in its downward position, and means carried by thesleeve for engaging with the standing valve for releasing` the sleeve.

7. A device of the character described, comprising an enlargedcylindrical member having an oblique upwardly-extending recess extendingfrom one wall thereof, a spring within said recess, a plunger within therecess and bearing against the spring, and a screw extendinglaterallyinto the cylindrical member, and the head thereof partiallyclosing the lower end of said recess.

S. A device of the character described, comprising an elongatedcylindrical member, an oblique upwardly-extending recess extending fromone wall thereof, a spring within said recess, a plunger within therecess and bearing against the spring, a screw extending transverselyinto the cylindrical member and t-he head thereof partially closing thelower end of said recess, and a sleeve slidably mounted on said spear.

9. A device of the character described,` comprising an elongatedcylindrical member having an 'oblique upwardly-extending re cessextending from one wall thereof, a spring within said recess, a plungerwithin the recess and bearing against the spring, a screw extendingtransversely into the cylindrical member and the head thereof partiallyclosing the lower end of said recess, a

sleeve slidably mounted on the spear, and means for locking the sleevein its downward position covering the spring-pressed member.v

10. A device of the character described, comprising a spear, lockingmeans carried by themlower end thereof, a sleeve slidably mounted on thespear, and means for locking said sleeve in its downward position.

l1. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, apiston valve above the standing valve, a spear carried by the lower endof the piston valve, means Carried by the lower end of the spear forlocking it to the standing valve, a sleeve slidably mounted upon thespear, means for locking said sleeve in its downward position, and meanscarried by the sleeve for engaging the standing valve for releasing saidlocking means.

12. A device of the character described, comprising a spear, lockingmeans carried by the lower end thereof, a sleeve slidable upon the spearmeans whereby the sleeve is normally held in its downward positioninclosing the locking means, and the sleeve and spear having a bayonetslot connection for locking the sleeve in its downward position.

13. A device of the character described, comprising a spear, anoutwardly-springpressed lock carried by the lower end of the spear, asleeve slidable on the spear, the said spear and sleeve having a bayonetslot connection, and a coil spring surrounding the spear within thesleeve, and normally holding the sleeve in its downward position.

Ll. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve within thelower end thereof, a pump valve above the same, a spear carried by thelower end of the pump valve, a sleeve slidable upon the spear, a springfor normally holding the sleeve in its downward position, means forlocking the sleeve in its downward position, and a projection carried bythe sleeve for engaging the standing valve for releasing the sleeve.

15. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve within thelower end thereof, a piston valve above the same, a spear carried by thelower end of the piston valve, a locking means carried by the spear, asleeve slidable upon said spear and inclosing said locking means, meansfor locking the sleeve in its downward position and a downwardlyextending arm carried by the sleeve for engaging the standing valve forreleasing the sleeve to expose the locking means.

16. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve within thelower end thereof, a piston valve above the standing valve, a spearcarried by the lower end of the piston valve, a sleeve slidably mountedupon the spear means for normally locking the sleeve in its downwardposition in'closing the spear, and an arm carried by the sleeve forreleasing the sleeve to allow the spear to enter the standing valve forcoupling the two together.

17. A device of the character described, comprising an elongatedcylindrical member having an oblique upwardly-extending recess extendingfrom the wall thereof, a spring within said recess, a plunger within therecess and bearing against the spring a screw extending transversel-yinto the cylindrical member and the head thereof partially closing thelower end of said recess, a sleeve slidably mounted on the spear, and abayonet slot connection between the spear and sleeve for locking it inits downward position covering the spring-pressed member.

1S. A device of the character described, comprising an elongatedcylindrical member, a lock carried thereby, a sleeve slidable on thecylindrical member and inclosing the lock, and said sleeve andcylindrical member having a bayonet slot connection and a spring withinthe sleeve for normally holding the sleeve locked in its downwardposition.

19. The combination with an oil well casing, a standing valve thereinapiston valve within the casing above the standing valve, a cylindricalspear carried by the lower end of the piston valve and having an obliqueupwardlyextending recess extending from the wall thereof, a springwithin said recess, a plunger within the recess and bearing against thespring, a screw extending transversely into the cylindrical member andthe head thereof partially closing the lower end of the said recess, asleeve slidable upon said spear, a coiled spring surrounding the spearwithin said sleeve, and having` one end secured to the spear and theother end to the sleeve, said sleeve and spear having a bayonet slotconnection for locking the sleeve in its downward position, and adownwardlyextending member carried by the sleeve and adapted tov engagethe standing valve whereby the sleeve can be released.

20. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpvalve working above the standing valve, a spear carried by the lower endof the pump valve for interlocking with the standing valve, a sleeveslidably mounted upon the said spear, and a spring normally holding thesleeve in its downward position surrounding the spear.

21. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpValve working above the standing` valve, a spear carried by the lowerend of the pump valve for interlocking with the standing valve, a sleeveslidably mounted upon said spear, a spring normally holding the sleevein its downward position, a lock for locking the sleeve in its downwardposition.

22. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpworking above the standing valve, a spear carried by the lower end ofthe pump valve for inter-` locking with the standing valve, a sleeveslidably mounted upon said spear, a spring normally holding the sleevein its downward position, a bayonet slot connection for locking thesleeve in its downward position surrounding the spear.

Q3. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, apistonvalve within the casing above the standing valve, a spear carrierby the lower end of the piston valve and having an obliqueupwardly-extending slot from the wall thereof, a spring within saidrecess, a plunger within said recess, and bearing against the spring, ascrew extending transversely into the cylindrical member and the headthereof partially closing the lower end of said recess, a sleeveslidable upon said spear, a coiled spring surrounding the spear withinsaid sleeve and having one end secured to the spear and the other end tothe sleeve, said sleeve having on opposite sides bayonet slots, a pinextending transversely through the spear and entering said slots, and adownwardly-extending member carried by the sleeve and adapted to engagethe standing valve whereby the sleeve can be released.

24. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpvalve working above the standing valve, a spear rigidly carried by thelower end of the pump valve, a vertically movable sleeve surrounding thespear, and means for locking the sleeve in said position covering thespear.

25. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpvalve working above the standing valve, a spear carried by the lower endof the pump valve, a spring pressed lock carried by the spear, a movablemember for covering the lock, and means for holding the movable memberin a position covering the lock.

26. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpvalve working above the standing valve, a spear rigidly carried by thepump valve, a locking member carried by the lower end thereof, a movablemember covering the locking member, and means for locking the movablemember in a position covering the locking member.

27. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpvalve above the standing valve, a spear rigidly carried by the lower endof the pump valve,-locking means carried by the lower end of the spear,a movable member carried by the spear covering the lock, and means forlocking said movable member in its downward position covering the lock.

28. A device of tlie character described comprising a spear, aspring-pressed look within the spear, a movable member norA l mallycovering` the spring-pressed lock, and means for normally holding themovable member in its downward position covering the lock.

29. A device of the character described, comprising a spear, aspring-pressed lock within the spear, a movable member normally coveringthe spring-pressed lock, a bayonet slot connection for locking themovable member in its downward position covering the locking member.

30. The combination with a well casing, a standing valve therein, a pumpvalve working above the standing valve, a spear rigidly carried by thelower end of the pump valve, a spring-pressed lock carried by the spearfor locking the same within the standing valve, a movable member carriedby the spear and covering said lock, means for locking said movablemember in its downward position, and a downwardly-extending arm carriedby the movable member and adapted to engage the standing valve andrelease the movable member.

In testimony whereof I alfiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER C. BECKT 1TH.

Witnesses:

ELMER C. PFEIL, LOLA LUTZY.

